V. I. Lenin

The Second Congress of the R.S.D.L.P.

JULY 17 (30)–AUGUST 10 (23), 1908

SPEECHES DURING THE EXAMINATION
OF THE LIST OF QUESTIONS SUBJECT
TO DEBATE AT THE CONGRESS{1}

JULY 17 (30)

Inthe plan, the question of the programme is In the second place. The national
question is a part of the programme and is to be dealt with when the latter is
discussed. The question of regional and national organisations in general is an
organisatlonal one. But the question of attitude to the nationalities, in
particular, is a tactical question and is an application of our general
principles to practical activity.

Thefirst item on the list relates specially to the Bund organisation. The sixth
relates to the Party organisation. Upon the establishment of general rules for
local, regional, national and other organisations, this special question is
raised: which organisations and on what terms shall be recruited to the Party?

{1}The first speech is in reply to M. I. Lieber’s question: “How are we
to understand the point about the national question?  Why is it separated
out from the point about the draft programme? What is the meaning of the
national question being a question of tactics? Why is this question not
regarded as a cardinal one?”

Thesecond speech is in reply to another of Lieber’s questions:“How are we to understand the point about national organisations? This
question appears to be raised independently of the question of the Bund’s
status in the Party” (Vtoroi syezd R.S.D.R.P., 1959, pp. 17–18).

Thefirst point, mentioned by Lenin, in the list of questions subject
to debate at the Congress (“On the Bund’s Status in the R.S.D.L.P.”) was
second on the agenda adopted by the Congress, and point six (“Regional and
National Organisations”) was seventh.

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